Flexible shaft.



' and 4CHARLES H. WARNER, citizens ofthe" United States, residing at Beloit, in' the Acounty of Bock and State of Wisconsin, 'have invented a new and usefullm rovement in' Flexible Shafts, of specification.

, construction of flexible shaftwhich 1s simple, economical in manufacture, and efficient inV .arrrniml lP.' WARNER.. AND

' f f UNITED jsTA'rEsfPngENT OFFICE.

i CHARLES H. WARNER, or BELoir, WISCONSIN.

r'LExlBnE SHAFT. i i

lTo @LZ whom it mayieoncernu.-

Be it known that we, AEHUE P. WARNER which' thev ollowing -is a v This invention relatesy to fiexible shafts.

The object of the invention is to'provide a i y operation, and wherein efficient flexibility in directions,;:except in a rotative direction,

`Theinvention consists, substantially, in the construction, combination, location, and

. larrangements of parts, allas will be more fully hereinafter setforth, as shown in the 4accompanying drawings, and finally pointed out 1n the appended claims.

Referringfto the accompanying drawings, and to the various views and reference-signs a pearing thereon, Figure 1 is a broken view s owing a section of flexible shaft embodying the principles of our invention, Fig. 2 is a broken vlew, 1

same on-the line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig-3 is a v`view similar to Fig. 1, showing another form v'our invention.` i

of intermediate' or connectinglink and em- 4 braced within the spirit andiscope of our in-` vention. Fig. 4 is a view'isimilar toFigs. 1

and 3, showing another modified for-m of vflexible shaft embodying the spirit and scope of In he practical operation of flexible shafts 1 itlis desirable to avoid the production of sharp corners inthe structure of the shaft, so

4as to avoidundue wear of the shaft within thecasing in which it is usual to mount such shaft.'v ,it isalso exceedingly desirable to rovide a construction of flexible shaft wich while permittingefficient'flexibilitT through- .`-out the length ofthe shaft alsoprevents rellative rotative movement'of the links orparts thereof." TheV attainment of these desirable objects is among'the-special purposes ,of our present invention.

- i. Wehave shown several forms of embodil 5io.'

ment of our invention, andl referring to Figs. 1 and 42 reference-sign A designates links,

ref erably of cylindrical contour 'andin the. orm ofshort sections f cylinders. end of each linker section A we form a transin each verse groove B. f Each groove Bis enlarged longitudinal section, of `the` lSpecicationvof Letters Patent. i Patented March 13, 1906.. Appiimionmed mmh 13,1905. serial No. 249.733.

at-the base thereof, so as to have considerable width, and each groove is also very of,as indicated at C. Adjacent ends of adjacent cylindrical link-sections A are ypivotally connected by means of .an intermediate but not necessarily, the slot B at one end vof a section A is formed at right angles to the slot B at the other end of said section, the plirpose of thls s ecial arrangement being to secure the shaft. The jaws F G, formed lby 'the A, by reason of the slight outward'fiare C at the slot lB at the base thereof are caused to a proach'eachother on the inner surfaces it ereof at the point where the' pivot-pins E tion is to afford efficient lateral v0r side bearing upon the intermediate couplings'D to prevent relative rotation or displacement of said coupling and the link portions A,'while at the same time the enlarged baselof slots B and the slightly -outwardare C' of said slots permit a desirable range of lateral or bending deflecti'on of the shaft, thereby securing the desired degree of flexibility of the shaft, but preventing rotation of the links or parts composing the shaft. relatively to each other, and this we considerv a most importantv and desirable feature of our invention.

,In the form shown in Figsfl and 2 the intermediate coupling portions D are in the form of flat disks or plates having the ends thereof of rounded contour, and thewidth of the connecting-plates D corres ends to the diametrical dimension of the cy indrical Lnk portionsA.v By this construction we prod une sive form vof flexible shaft-wherein a wide frange offlexiblhty lssecired, wherein elli- 4cient bearing'of'theshaft within the casing in which it works is secured, and wherein rel ativc avoided.

In'Fig. -3 wehave shown a.sliglfiitlymodif4 "slightly flared outwardly at the mouth therecoupling D through the medium of pivot-pins increase flexibility throughout thelength of transverse slots B in the ends of the sections the ends thereof and of the enlargement of i pass through. The effect o'f this construean exceedingly simple, efficient, and inoxpow.

l rotation ofthe partscomposing the shaft is and described, asil lvariations and i-,hanges i ed arrangement wherein instead of -eniploy- A 'ro ing intermediate couplings of plate o r ldisk form said couplings are in the form of Wire links D', formed into loop ally engaged at the ends t K which` proxiinate ereo over thepins }ro]ec,t, transversely f across-V 4the. s

efficiently secure and maintain flexibility throughout the le'ngthj'ofthe shaft, while at the same time preventing by reason of the bearing of such intermediate coupling-links' againsttheiopposed sui'fa'cesof thejawsFG rotative movement offthe parts composingl 1 the shaft relatively to eachother. 1,-

odified lform of` `In Fig.' 4 we have shown 'a d shafteinbraeedwithn theI s irit and scope of our invention wherein 'the s aft is 'composed` throughout thelen th'thereof of solid cylin- 20s slotl'of enlarged' dimension at the base thereof at each endiof each 'cylindricalisectiom as in drical ysections A4; ut instead of forming a i the constructions shown rin Figszzl, 2, and v'3,1

yweforrn av slot-1B of enlargedfdiinensions at .l 2 f' vflaring'm'outh C', forming ythe jaws F G at,

one end yofeach solid section, and fwe; forni a. i

lthe ibase thereof 'and'with a slightly outwardly "f tongueDa'tzthe opposite end ofvsuch-section,

f the tongue 1 D2 "of one section extending; into-Z j `the (transverse slot por groove B inthe 'proxiof"fl'exibility throughout the length vof t 'Sgles tofthe transverse slot B in `the opposite I lend ofsuchsection, ,thereby securing the movement of thersectionsl of desired rangeof :f flexibility throughout Vthe i .40

`length Iof the yshaft, while lpreventing rotative the1 shaft frelafY specific. oonstructiondand' arrangement of" f arts embodying lthe-principlesandthe best 2 4 orm Vin whichwe atv pres'ent,conteiiiplate'ap@ ffplyingthe principles `ofourinvention, wedo not desire tozbe :understood as lim itingor confv lining ourselves toI the -exact and specific, details of'constrnction and, arrangement shown therefrom andiin vthe detailsjthereof may still fall within't e readily occur-to ersons skilled inthe art and spirit and seopeof our 1n A vention. Uf.

,-What' wegi-:laiiinas new and 'useful and off o'ulijointinvention,v andj desire to secure by Letters Patent, is;-.-, f f

, w1. I.A flexible shaft ,eomnbsed` plurali lofi ylink;sect-ionen lone; off each d twifi, 4adj aeent f parts thirr'iughout the lengtliofthe shalt hav-. v:ing agtransverse slot in lthe endthereofto re-l ceive the proximatel end o f the lnext ad'acent section, :said` transverse` slots being ,en argeil at the base thereof to permit limited relative l otted ends of adjaoent'link por`` i tions A. The loop-shaped links thus'serve tof e yshaft-Uwe prefer-'to` form the v ltongue Diofasectionl in aplane'atright anlateralvinovemeunt of theisctions, pivot-pin passing transversely through each slot and forming a pivot for 'the roximateend of the' adjacent section, the wa ls of the slot servin to prevent relative rotative movement of sai sections.

through the end thereofto `receivethe proxi- 'flexible shaft, composedof parts'pivfv -p otally connected at the proximate ends there4 of, one of said parts having a transverse slot i mate end :of the next adj acent art, the side f surfacesof said adjacent part avingdirect' bearing contactwith `the wallsof saidslot, said transverse slot i, `bein enlarged` yat the i vbase thereof 'andslightly` ared outwardly at the `mouth. thereof,l and a rpivot-,pinL passing through the jaws formed by each of sindA slots to form a pivotal` connection. of said; parts.

f y,3. `A flexible shaft,com['posed of a pluralit of parts hingedor-pivote together, each'a ternatef `art havin .a transverse slot throu h each en thereof, `,t eslot `at one'end being at lrightangles tothe slot .at1 the other end, each slot having an enlargedbase, the ends "of the adjacentpartsbeing adapted to be received within i such slots,` and a f pivot-pin passing transversely':tliroiigli each'ilslot toy form the `hinge-or pivotal connection4 of said arts.

L, 4f.y Allexibll'e shaft, composed ofl inks and intermediate een lings'y hinged oi"` pivoted tovvetheri at the en ys thereof, the endsiof each .link having ,transverse slots `t-flierethrough to receive theendsof the intermediate couplinge,y theyslotsbeiiig enlarged at the base and- ,slightly fiared outwardlyV at the mouth thereof,y and. pivot;A pins'. passing" transversely through each slot to 'forinthe pivotal connec- .tion betweenthe li'nkand the proximate end theadj aeent'intermediate'eouplin the intermediate coupling",bearing atw't e sides thereofdirectly,l against the'inner wall of the ti ve rotativeniovement of said link and coupling, while permitting free lateralinoveinent `5. Aflexible shaft, composed of a plurality of ,cylindrical link-sections and intermediate couplings,eachl link-section'liaving a trans- ICO . 'reducedy portion oftheslotl top'revent relal IIO verseslot at each end thereofto receive the ,proximate end `of aninterniediate couplin v and pivot-pinsiassm the jaws forme g transversely throu bysaid slotand through t ie intermediate coupliniT to form jthe c pivotal connection between Vt eseparts, said' transverse slot liavino'an enlarged base to permit of limiteillatera movement of the' arts, but preventingrelative rotation thereo 6. A flexible shaft'eom osed of cylindrical .link7sections vand interme iate couplings, the ends ofthe cylindricallink-sections having transverse slots therethrough, the ends of the intermediate couplings bein rounded, and pivot-pins passind transverse y through said slots and rounded-lends to form pivotedconiwi-,tions between tho sections andcouplinge,

said slots beingr enlargediatthe vbases thereof,

thesidesurfaces oi the intermediate couplings beei'ing directly against the walls of seid lar relation with respect to each other and each having sin-'enlargedv base, the intermediate couplings being inthe form of ilattened plates, and pivot-pins passing transversely through seid slots and forming means for pivotelly couplings.

In Witness whereof We have heieunto set our hands, this 4th day of March, 1905, in the presence of the subscribinglwitnesses.

ARTHUR P'. WARNER. CHARLES n. WARN-ER.

connecting said link-sections and Witnesses:

J. E. BURULL, FANNIE E. WARNER. 

